Bobbing

Decades after my nine months of floating in mother’s amniotic fluid I still stay connected with water every chance I get. In addition to regular swimming I love to bob. What’s bobbing, you ask? For me, it’s a way to clear my mind and experience the exquisite benefits of water meditation.

Here’s how I do it and how you can, too, if you want to try…

First, a few important safety guidelines:

• Make sure you are at ease with being in—and under—the water. If you’re fearful of water then take as much time as you need getting used to it. If it helps, take a swimming class or a private swim lesson. Beginning swim lessons are all about making sure you are comfortable in the water. If you already are, move on to the next steps.

• If you’re at a swimming pool with lifeguards, tell them what you’re doing in advance. A trained lifeguard will immediately become concerned if she sees someone underwater for an extended period of time without explanation. Just tell them you’ll be doing underwater bobbing or a “moving meditation,” and that should ease their minds. And make sure to thank them afterward. Soon, they’ll be used to your new activity (and probably new to them!).

• Although a pool depth of 7 feet or more is perfect, realize that you can bob in a swimming pool as shallow as 3 feet (1 meter) deep. All you have to do is adjust your body by either bending your legs or stretching them out behind you. Your goal is to fully submerge your head underwater in a rhythmic motion.

• The ideal water temperature for water bobbing is around 94 degrees (34 Celsius). This is what many “warm pools” (often used for physical therapy) are. Of course, you can also bob in cooler water, and you can also do it in hotter water, e.g., in a “hot tub,” which is usually in the 100-102 F range. But please be VERY CAREFUL if in a hot tub; most hot tub guidelines say that 15 minutes is the maximum time allowed.

A Basic Bobbing Meditation Method You Can Try:

1. Find a comfortable position in the water at the edge of the pool (or if no pool, holding onto a pier, boat or rock or any stationary object), where you’ll be able to lower your entire body (including your head) under water. The objective is to push against the pool or object’s edge in order sink or submerge your head and body to a point where your arms are completely outstretched.

2. Let your body sink to its maximum depth while exhaling by blowing bubbles slowly through your nose. This keeps the water out. As soon as you reach your arms’ full extension, start pulling yourself back up to the starting position, all the while letting out a steady stream of bubbles. When your head breaks the surface, take a quick breath of air and start the cycle again. Just do this for a minute or so to get into a comfortable rhythm of down and up, and down and up. Keep your eyes closed.

3. After you feel at ease with the rhythms of your up-down movements (and you don’t feel out of breath but have found the right balance of exhalation under water and inhalation above water), turn your mind’s attention to the bubbles you’re exhaling. This is your breath and you should be able to feel it, hear it, and see it in your mind’s eye. Focus on the bubbles, which are the physical manifestation of your breath. Try not to let thoughts creep in, but if they do, simply push them away with a gentle mental swipe (as you would on your smartphone or tablet) and refocus your mind on the bubbles [you can add focused thoughts in the advanced phase]. Your aim is to experience the gentle movement (and the bubbles) with nothing else encroaching.

4. In the next stage, either done immediately or at a later time, sink with your stream of exhalation bubbles but when at the bottom of your cycle, hold completely still and stop the bubble blowing. You will find yourself in a deliciously suspended state of neither sinking nor rising. This is the Gap. The point of “in-between” where nothing exists except your inner being, God, or the universe itself. Try to have no thoughts intrude upon this sublime moment where you are in touch with the all of eternity. This is your moment of bliss, your state of complete oneness. Finally, start your ascent to the surface and restart the sequence. Like this:

5. Over time and with practice, you will be able to descend, hold and suspend yourself in perfect stillness, then ascend on the one breath taken at the surface. The rest of the world is forgotten as you move up and down through the water, finding a perfect rhythm of slow movement and non-thought. Your worries, mental chatter, and distracted thinking are only a memory as you merge with the water that surrounds and caresses you. This is your goal.

After you get in the habit of water bobbing, you’ll notice something quite extraordinary. No matter what your state of mind was before you started—including angry, sad or worried—you’ll always feel better post-bobbing. I usually experience a state of extreme peace, calm, even happiness after a prolonged bobbing session. It’s a type of “natural high,” almost like an exercise-induced endorphin high but without the strenuous effort. Such is the power of having your head in the water.

Happy Bobbing!

— Harald